What is graduate school? Like a cart’s fifth wheel: what is graduate school, why go and what does it give? What does studying in graduate school give?

Publication date: 11/16/2013

Many people ask this question. However, this issue becomes truly problematic after you have entered graduate school. So let's look at the basic concepts...

What it is

Postgraduate study is needed in order to obtain a candidate's degree. If you have just graduated from a university and received master's or specialist status, you can enroll in graduate school.

In theory, graduate school is needed in order to educate scientific personnel who would move science forward. However, in reality everything is completely different...

The fact is that graduate school as a forge of scientific personnel has long outlived its usefulness. True, it’s worth mentioning that a lot depends on the specific university. However, in global terms, graduate school has ceased to be something important and necessary.
This is especially felt when you have just entered there.

You think that you will receive brilliant advice there, communicate with brilliant scientists, move science forward... But in reality everything turns out to be completely different. Getting a PhD is 90% bureaucracy and 10% science. The candidacy is defended not by the smartest, but by the most cunning.

Statistics are easy to find. Go to any graduate student forum and see the reasons for admission. Statistics show that only 10% go to graduate school for the sake of science. So here's the list...

Deferment from the army

This is the most common reason. If you are subject to conscription, then when you enter graduate school you will be asked directly: “Are you leaving the army?” If you say “Yes,” then with an 80% probability you will not be accepted into graduate school (although they will be accepted into commercial school).
The university needs you to do science and not avoid the army. But there are many nuances here.

It is very easy to get into commercial graduate school. And if you still have a diploma with honors, then this will be easier to do. And considering that there are a lot of universities with accredited postgraduate programs, there is no problem in admission. If you have a lot of B's ​​in your diploma, but you have participated in a conference at least once, then you will also be accepted. If you have C grades, then it will be impossible to enroll.

In addition, paying for 3 years of graduate school is much cheaper than buying yourself a military ID. And most guys already have a job or their own business by the time they graduate from university. And give it all up for a year in order to work for free?!!! The army is not the place to be. Although if you want a military or law enforcement career, then you will need the army.

But you shouldn’t think that graduate schools are filled with “squints” - this is not so. After all, those who have at least some inclination towards science go to graduate school. Therefore, over time, you begin to become imbued with science and forget about the original reason for entering graduate school.

"Nerds"

This is the second most popular reason. Speaking in human terms, there are many people in graduate school who are used to studying. Such people do not have a job, they are always studying. Among them there are those who do not want to lose their student spirit. They are afraid of the world.

If such people still defend their PhD, they become eternal teachers. Pichal:(

If YOU are one of these people, then come to your senses and start working! Graduate school without practice is a waste of time.

Those who advance science

They are not found in their pure form. Usually these are the people who are truly useful for Russian science. However, they pursue either a career, money, or fame. Such people rarely become teachers. They usually get high positions or go abroad.

Such people are easy to distinguish. At the beginning of the 5th year, they find a supervisor and are already starting to publish and publish.

Careerists

These are already adults. They need a candidate's credentials in order to move up the career ladder. This is especially true for officials who “clog up” the most delicious places in law schools.

Rest

There are people who study in graduate school, but do not understand why they are doing it. It seems that this is due to a special combination of life circumstances. Some people just follow the wave.

In general, everyone decides for themselves why they need graduate school. Postgraduate students of technical and economic specialties achieve particular success.
Your actions determine who you become. You can become just another teacher with no prospects, or you can become a famous scientist or use your knowledge to increase capital. Actually, money is the only criterion for a person’s success...

You can leave your reasons and opinions in the comments.

Thank you for your attention!

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Postgraduate studies - what is it? What is it for? Many young people who study at university or are just about to enter are interested in such questions. What is it? Postgraduate studies are the main form of training for highly qualified personnel. Previously, this was considered the lot of the minority. It was possible to enter it only through a special direction from the institute where a specialist with a diploma worked.

The applicant had to find out what graduate school is by passing a series of entrance exams in the specialty, philosophy and foreign language, as well as passing a qualifying competition.

The same features remain today. There is only one exception: any graduate of a higher educational institution who has a penchant for scientific and research activities and who strives to fully realize himself in scientific research can enter there. What is graduate school and why is it needed? This is a form of education, the purpose of which is to prepare highly qualified personnel for educational institutions and other scientific institutions, as well as for those social spheres where science cannot be done without.

Education

So, your goal is graduate school. What it is is now clear. How is training conducted? There are two forms - correspondence and full-time. The duration of full-time study is three years. Part-time courses last a year longer. The organization of the learning process has many serious differences from organizational forms in higher educational institutions. Of course, there are also lectures, seminars and exams, but the hours allocated for such classes are much less compared to what students must do independently as part of their research activities. What is graduate school? In essence, learning here is individual rather than collective.

For the entire period of study, an individual plan is drawn up for each graduate student, which spells out all the main types of work, their deadlines, as well as the results of implementation. According to his own plan, every year a person must report to a special meeting of the scientific laboratory or department in which he is studying. The results of this discussion make it possible to transfer it to the next academic year.

Each graduate student during his studies must pass three mandatory exams: in his specialty, history and philosophy, as well as in a foreign language. In order for students to successfully pass candidate exams, the educational institution arranges additional classes. Such conditions are set by graduate school. What is the candidate exam? after passing which, a person receives the title

Scientific director

This person is the main person for the graduate student. The scientific supervisor is usually appointed by someone who is a leading scientist in his field. As a rule, this is either a professor. The supervisor helps the graduate student choose the topic of his thesis. Together they plan and consult on all major issues related to the graduate student's research.

Candidate's dissertation

This is the main test that graduate school poses for a young scientist. What is a PhD thesis? It differs from or is defended in a special dissertation council, which includes scientists in specific fields who are authorities. It is worth noting that it can be organized both at the institution where the training itself takes place, and at another scientific or educational institution.

Field of activity of the graduate student

After successful completion and defense of a candidate's dissertation, a graduate student is awarded the title of Candidate of Sciences. Now he may well occupy a highly paid position in any organization or institution in the profile that he has chosen for himself.

Thus, if a person decides to connect his life with research activities, he is interested in what graduate and master’s programs are. He is faced with a choice. To become a candidate of sciences, you need to complete graduate school, and defending your degree will be a step towards the status of a graduate student.

Dictionary of medical terms

graduate school (lat. aspirans, aspirantis striving for something)

a form of training of scientific and teaching personnel from among persons with completed higher education, providing for their temporary enrollment for this purpose in a higher educational institution or research institution (with a break from work or for distance learning).

Explanatory dictionary of the Russian language. D.N. Ushakov

graduate school

postgraduate studies, w. (new).

Position, activities of graduate student.

only units, collected Graduate students (colloquial).

Explanatory dictionary of the Russian language. S.I.Ozhegov, N.Yu.Shvedova.

graduate school

Y, ac. The training that graduate students undergo; system of such training. Study in graduate school. Finish graduate school.

New explanatory dictionary of the Russian language, T. F. Efremova.

graduate school

and. One of the forms of training scientific and scientific-pedagogical personnel at universities and research institutions.

Encyclopedic Dictionary, 1998

graduate school

GRADUATE STUDY (from Latin aspiro - I strive, I try to get closer) is a form of training for scientific workers. Organized in 1925 under the People's Commissariat of Education of the RSFSR, in the 1930s. spread to universities and research institutes of the USSR (postgraduate students defended their candidate's dissertations - since 1934). In the beginning. 1990s in the Russian Federation St. 60 thousand graduate students, incl. at the universities of St. 40 thousand. In most foreign countries, training similar to graduate school is carried out mainly at universities in special centers of the so-called. postgraduate education (usually for masters, licentiates, etc.) and ends with the defense of research work and the award of the highest academic degree (most often a doctorate).

Large legal dictionary

graduate school

(from Latin aspiro - I strive, I try to get closer) - in the Russian Federation, a form of training for scientists at universities and research institutions.

Postgraduate studies

in the USSR the main form of training of scientific, pedagogical and scientific personnel; Training in A., as a rule, ends with the defense of a dissertation for the degree of Candidate of Sciences. Academy was organized in 1925. It is established and liquidated at universities and research institutes of ministries and departments by the Ministry of Higher and Secondary Special Education of the USSR, at research institutions of the USSR Academy of Sciences and the Academy of Sciences of the Union Republics - by the Presidium of the corresponding academy.

There is full-time A. ≈ with a break from work ≈ for persons no older than 35 years (duration of study 3 years) and part-time ≈ without interruption from work ≈ for persons not older than 45 years (duration of study 4 years).

Persons with completed higher education who have demonstrated ability for scientific activity, from among specialists in the national economy with at least 2 years of practical experience in their chosen specialty and young specialists immediately after graduation ≈ on the recommendation of the university council (faculty) are allowed to take competitive entrance exams in Armenia. ). Applicants to A. submit published scientific works, information about inventions or experimental design work (and in the absence of them, an abstract on their chosen specialty), undergo an interview with a prospective scientific supervisor and then pass exams in a special discipline, the history of the CPSU and a foreign language. Those admitted to take the exams are given a 30-day leave from work with continued pay.

The graduate student works under the guidance of his supervisor (usually a doctor of science, professor) according to an individual plan, studies his chosen specialty, masters the methods of research, experimental and educational work, passes the minimum candidate exams and prepares a dissertation for the degree of candidate of science. Full-time students are provided with a state scholarship. Part-time postgraduate students completing an individual plan receive an annual additional leave (30 days) at their place of work with continued pay and the right to have one day off from work per week ≈ for postgraduate studies (with payment in the amount of 50%).

In the corresponding universities and research institutes there is a target A., which is one of the main forms of training scientific and teaching personnel for universities, research institutes, enterprises, state farms and other organizations of the Union republics, ministries and departments that do not have the ability to provide scientific training personnel on the ground. Universities also organize a one-year academy, which admits teachers and other university employees, teachers of secondary schools (no older than 45 years old), who have fully passed the minimum candidate exams and completed research work on a chosen topic in an amount sufficient for preparation dissertations within a period of up to 1 year. Persons enrolled in one-year A. retain their place of work and basic salary. Those who have passed the candidate's exams, defended a candidate's dissertation or submitted it for defense in the prescribed manner are considered to have graduated from the Academy (those who have submitted a dissertation for defense are issued an appropriate certificate).

The training of scientific personnel in Armenia is carried out in all major branches of science. In 1968 St. studied in A. 96 thousand people (over 54 thousand with a break from work), of which (thousand people): in physical and mathematical sciences 11.4; chemical 5.6; biological 6.0; geological and mineralogical 2.7; technical 39.1; agricultural and veterinary 7.1; historical and philosophical 4.6; economic 8.9; philological 2.3; geographical 0.8; legal 0.8; pedagogical 1.8; medical and pharmaceutical 5.3; art history 0.9; architecture 0.5. In 1968 A. graduated from St. 25 thousand people, including 10.6 thousand full-time at universities. and full-time at scientific institutions about 5.8 thousand people.

Lit.: Higher school. Sat. main regulations, orders and instructions. Ed. E. I. Voylenko, part 1 (chapter 9, Training of scientific and pedagogical personnel, awarding academic degrees and conferring academic titles), M., 1965.

E. I. Voilenko.

Wikipedia

Postgraduate studies

Postgraduate studies- one of the forms of training highly qualified personnel.

Examples of the use of the word graduate school in literature.

Although she was traveling to graduate school not out of her own inner attraction, but only out of vassal devotion to her parents, she was tormented by doubts that in an unfamiliar city, foreign to her, she would have no one to honor with her devotion.

Soon after completion postgraduate studies he was mobilized into the army for teaching work.

Abrikosov presented Ishchenko for expulsion from postgraduate studies due to her revealed inability and extreme incompatibility in the team, where she quarreled with everyone.

However, the Academy's personnel department did not agree with her expulsion and decided to continue her postgraduate studies under my leadership in my laboratory, located on the territory of the 1st Moscow City Clinical Hospital on Leninsky Prospekt.

With this she entered the third and final year postgraduate studies, and I launched an energetic offensive to obtain the report and familiarize myself with the state of the dissertation topic.

After all, I am responsible for timely completion postgraduate studies with the presentation of a completed dissertation, and at that time this was not only an official, but also a political responsibility, and I understood and felt it.

At the Academy, when familiarizing themselves with the state of affairs, they waved me aside with a firm instruction about the need to bring postgraduate studies Ishchenko to a happy end.

Ishchenko from postgraduate studies almost at the very calendar date of its end, which I informed her about.

They faced threats of expulsion from the Komsomol and from postgraduate studies, carried out.

There was nothing, only a vague, indefinite feeling that he was broken, expelled from postgraduate studies and possesses a confusing, unedited autobiographical manuscript about a brujo that made it unsure if it could be sold.

Since Carlos left postgraduate studies, they talked with Meighan from time to time, but never talked about field work with the brujos.

The composer's years of study at the Leningrad Conservatory, where he took a course, remain forever in the composer's memory. postgraduate studies at Professor V.

It was then that he first thought: after all, in his destiny there would be neither Moscow, nor Larisa, nor the law faculty of the university, nor postgraduate studies, if, upon demobilization, he and everyone else went into the merchant fleet, fishermen or whalers, as the recruiters lured them with rich promises.

While making tea, he suddenly imagined how his life would have turned out if he had stayed after postgraduate studies in Moscow.

In the region where he came with his wife after postgraduate studies, people valued family, home comfort, kinship, and children most of all.

GRADUATE STUDENT A GRADUATE STUDENT is a person with higher professional education studying in graduate school and preparing a dissertation for the degree of Candidate of Sciences.

Large legal dictionary. - M.: Infra-M. A. Ya. Sukharev, V. E. Krutskikh, A. Ya. Sukharev. 2003 .

Synonyms:

See what "GRADUATE STUDENT" is in other dictionaries:

graduate student- and m. graduate student m., German. Postgraduate 1. Applicant for the position. Luchinsky 1879. To be listed as a lawyer is the only and greatest honor sought by young graduate students devoting themselves to a legal career. NE 1891 12 … Historical Dictionary of Gallicisms of the Russian Language

- (French aspirant, from aspirer to seek something). 1) in France, a senior student preparing for service. 2) a person who seeks something, a candidate, an applicant. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N., 1910.… … Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

Cm … Synonym dictionary

GRADUATE STUDENT- (from Latin aspirantis - striving for something). A person pursuing graduate school. During postgraduate study, the graduate student passes candidate exams and defends his thesis... New dictionary of methodological terms and concepts (theory and practice of language teaching)

GRADUATE STUDENT, postgraduate student, husband. (lat. aspirans striving for something) (neol.). An employee of a research institution preparing for scientific activity. Ushakov's explanatory dictionary. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 ... Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

GRADUATE STUDENT, husband. A specialist at a higher educational institution or scientific institution preparing for scientific, scientific-pedagogical activities and for defending a candidate's dissertation. | wives graduate student, i. | adj. postgraduate, oh, oh. Dictionary… … Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary

GRADUATE STUDENT- GRADUATE STUDENT, see Medical education... Great Medical Encyclopedia

graduate student- - [A.S. Goldberg. English-Russian energy dictionary. 2006] Energy topics in general EN post graduatePG ... Technical Translator's Guide

GRADUATE STUDENT- (from Latin aspiro I strive, I try to get closer) a person who has a higher professional education, is studying in graduate school and is preparing a dissertation for the degree of Candidate of Sciences... Legal encyclopedia

graduate student- French – graduate. Latin – aspirare (to blow, to winnow). The word “graduate student” appeared in the Russian language in the middle of the 19th century, in dictionaries since 1861, initially with the meaning “seeking a certain position, a candidate for this position.” Until the 60s... ... Semenov Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language

Books

• University graduate student. Technologies of scientific creativity and pedagogical activity, S.D. Reznik. The content, system and technologies of postgraduate education, preparation for independent…
• University graduate student. Technologies of scientific creativity and pedagogical activity. Textbook, Reznik Semyon Davydovich. The content, system and technologies of postgraduate education, preparation for independent…

Today, on the one hand, the majority of school graduates strive to obtain higher education. But the prospect of obtaining a bachelor's degree first and then a master's degree somewhat delayed the prospect of studying in graduate school. Even before, only a few became graduate students.

But at the same time, at the present stage of social development, our state needs fresh scientific solutions in the field of economic modernization. That is why it is necessary to find out who a graduate student really is and whether it is worth becoming one.

Translated from Latin, “graduate student” means striving for something. Literally, a graduate student is a person who strives to gain new high-quality knowledge.

In the Russian Federation, graduate students are trained in graduate schools at universities and research institutions. A citizen of the Russian Federation who has received a higher professional education with a specialist or master's qualification can enroll in graduate school.

Also, the applicant must have creative achievements in science, documented. Candidates must pass competitive entrance exams in their specialty, philosophy and foreign language.

Graduate student learning process

During the training, the graduate student prepares to defend his dissertation for the degree of Candidate of Sciences. A dissertation is written under the guidance of a supervisor: doctor of science or professor.

The educational activities of a graduate student are strictly regulated by an individual work plan, which defines the deadlines for passing exams for the candidate minimum. Compulsory subjects to attend in the first year are English and philosophy. It is also equally important to participate in the work of the department.

Failure to comply with the plan will result in expulsion. Receiving the coveted candidate minimum and defending the dissertation depends only on the graduate student himself.

Governmental support

Postgraduate students are young scientists who have chosen a long path to improve their knowledge. That is why the Government of the Russian Federation provides support for graduate students who have a number of government guarantees.

Full-time graduate students receive a monthly stipend. Its size is determined by state regulations and is differentiated depending on the results of the intermediate certification and the absence of debt from the graduate student.

For part-time workers, employers must pay additional annual leave of 30 days, as well as one free day per week for classes with 50% pay.

Additional features

In addition, government authorities and the business community provide grant support for graduate students. By correctly proposing your scientific ideas, you can already receive serious support for their implementation. Graduate students also have the opportunity to do internships at enterprises in the country and abroad.

It should be noted that many universities also solve the housing problems of graduate students by providing the right to live in dormitories. This is especially important if the graduate student already has a family.

Thus, a graduate student is a certified specialist studying full-time or part-time in graduate school, where he receives preparation for future teaching and research work. Defense of a candidate's dissertation earns the applicant the status of candidate of science.

A candidate of sciences has significant opportunities in professional activities, receiving a decent salary and defending a doctoral dissertation. That is why, if a person is confident in his knowledge, he must strive to become a graduate student.